The field of the present disclosure relates generally to processing transaction data and, more particularly, to computer-based methods and systems for indirectly retrieving account data from data storage devices while processing a financial transaction initiated by a cardholder using a payment card.
A known, multi-party payment process includes a merchant offering a good or service, a cardholder wishing to purchase or otherwise acquire the good or service using a payment card, an acquirer bank associated with the merchant, an issuer bank that issued the payment card to the cardholder, and a payment network (also known as an interchange network) associated with both the acquirer and the issuer for processing the payment transaction. In at least some known cases, the payment card may be a credit card or a debit card. The interchange network must be able to process both types of payment transactions. Therefore, in at least some known cases, the interchange network may have two separate computer systems, one for processing credit type transactions and one for processing debit type transactions.
The cardholder presents a payment card to the merchant at a point of interaction device, also known as a point of sale (POS) device or terminal. For example, the payment card may include a credit card, a debit card, a key fob, or a mobile phone, which may be used to initiate a transaction with the merchant. A POS terminal may be human-operated (e.g., a cash register) or automated (e.g., a vending machine). The payment card provides cardholder data, including a primary account number (PAN), to the POS terminal. The POS terminal combines the cardholder data with purchase data to create transaction data. The POS terminal includes the transaction data in a transaction authorization request message, which it transmits to the acquirer. The acquirer forwards the transaction authorization request message to the interchange network. The interchange network, in turn, forwards the transaction authorization request message to the issuer.
The issuer determines whether the transaction should be authorized based on the transaction data and other data stored with the issuer. For example, the issuer may determine whether an account associated with the PAN contains sufficient funds for a payment amount included in the transaction data. The issuer transmits an authorization response message indicating whether the transaction is authorized or denied to the interchange network. The interchange network forwards the authorization response message to the acquirer, and the acquirer forwards the authorization response message to the merchant. If the authorization request response message indicates that the transaction is authorized, the merchant completes the transaction with the cardholder.
In some situations, the interchange network requires access to account data prior to forwarding an authorization request message from the acquirer to the issuer. However, the account data may not be stored by or directly available to the portion of the interchange network system that is responsible for forwarding authorization request messages and authorization response messages. For example, an interchange network may include two separate processing systems, namely a credit transaction processing system, and a debit transaction processing system. Although these processing systems are configured to process different types of transactions with potentially different types of data and different protocols, these systems must also be able to communicate with one another. If these two processing systems were unable to communicate with one another, the results may include massive data duplication, potentially inaccurate data, a greater potential for fraud, increased computer hardware requirements, additional software, and greater overall expense. Accordingly, a computer device is needed to allow the different transaction processing systems to communicate with one another, including the ability of one system to retrieve data stored on the other system.